Roy F. McCampbell's Blog

Last Night the Board of Education honored the accomplishments of some very special people. The JV Lady Lightning from Lincoln Middle School were the featured Example of Excellence for the evening. The board presented the team with certificates and treated them to cake and juice. The girls were proud to show off their trophy and celebrate their success with the Board.

Mr. Narvaez was also honored by the Board with a standing ovation after Mrs. Harris spoke about how his dedication and commitment led to him earning the prestigious Reg Weaver award. As always, it fills me with pride to be part of a learning community that puts students at the forefront of decision making. Each day I am blessed to be surrounded by amazing students and dedicated educators who inspire me.

These eighth graders at Lincoln are brightening up the art studio with their beautiful flowers.  Students are studying the color wheel, and the colors they have chosen to work with are gorgeous. Their paintings are inspired by the artist Georgia O’Keeffe.  It looks like we have some budding artists in District 81!

I’m also looking forward to seeing the creations of our younger students next week at the Kennedy Art Fair, which is on Thursday, April 11^th between 6:00 and 7:30.  The Art Fair is always a fun family event that is paired with the Taste of Kennedy, and we welcome and encourage the community to attend!

It has been a very busy first week back in SD81. Students and staff alike returned refreshed and excited to get back into teaching and learning.

 The week ended with the Art Fair/Taste of Kennedy on Thursday evening, the Career Fair at Lincoln Middle School, and the ABC Parent Group’s Ice Cream Sale during lunch times at all three schools.

The Art Fair/Taste of Kennedy is an awesome event that spotlights the fine work our student artists create during art class. An added bonus to the evening is several different food tastings that are donated by parents, the fire department, and every classroom in Kennedy School. I offer my sincere appreciation to everyone who made the evening possible for our families.

The Annual Career Fair was held today at Lincoln Middle School. The students were very engaged as they learned about a wide variety of careers. Some of the guests…

Here is good news indeed!

After a dozen years of test mania in New York City, Chancellor Carmen Farina issued instructions for testing that make clear that students will not be punished for opting out of the state tests that start next week.

Here are key quotes:

What should a principal do if parents express an interest in opting their children out of the State
exams?

“The principal should offer to meet with the parents to discuss their concerns. The principal may want to explain that a student’s test scores will be only one of a number of factors that evaluate his or her progress and describe the impacts of opting out of the State exams (as detailed in this School Guide and in the corresponding Parent Guide). If, after consulting with the principal, the parents still want to opt their child out of the exams, the principal should respect…

The Lincoln Middle School Drama students and the faculty and staff involved outdid themselves this week with their production of Seussical the Musical.  I was lucky enough to watch the musical with our friends from Kennedy School, and I think I had a smile on my face the whole time, as did the rest of the audience!  Before the show began, the kids were asked if they had ever read any books by Dr. Seuss, and every single hand in the theater went up! We love our Dr. Seuss in District 81!

From the colorful and vibrant costumes, to the amazing singing voices and actors who brought their characters to life, it was a knockout performance.  Those working behind the scenes deserve a round of applause too! So many members of our school community contributed to the success of this production, and I honor each one for their commitment!

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